Amazing Arthropods

External Anatomy made Ebullient

Amazing Arthropods

External Anatomy made Ebullient

Benjamin Schwierking

Classy Chemist

Ms. Mitcham

Pre-AP Biology

6th Period

An Opening on the Outlandish

Arthropods (Arthropoda) is a phylum characterized by invertebrates with exoskeletons. They belong to the kingdom Animalia. The name literally means "jointed foot". Arthropods have open circulatory systems, are not hermaphroditic, have two antennae, have segmented abdomens, and have eyes. The Arthropoda phylum is one of the most diverse, with creatures that swim, crawl, and fly.

Objective Objective

Students will learn about the internal and external anatomy of arthropods, with a special emphasis on the integumentary system. Students will also learn about the arthropod's ecological role, focusing on crickets and crayfish.

Chipper Crickets

Life Cycle

Crickets lay eggs in late summer and hatch from eggs in autumn as nymphs, and grow to be adult crickets. Crickets are herbivores and eat

Habitat

Crickets live pretty much everywhere in the world, including caves, forests, meadows, and even in your house! Crickets like to live in places where they feel hidden, so they often dig burrows or hide in live or dead organic matter.

Predators

Spiders, wasps, birds, lizards, beetles, and small rodents eat crickets. Crickets are also eaten by humans throughout the world, especially in Africa, Asia, and South America.

Life Cycle

Crickets lay eggs in late summer and hatch from eggs in autumn as nymphs, and grow to be adult crickets. Crickets are herbivores and eat

Habitat

Crickets live pretty much everywhere in the world, including caves, forests, meadows, and even in your house! Crickets like to live in places where they feel hidden, so they often dig burrows or hide in live or dead organic matter.

Predators

Spiders, wasps, birds, lizards, beetles, and small rodents eat crickets. Crickets are also eaten by humans throughout the world, especially in Africa, Asia, and South America.

Clammy Crayfish

Life Cycle

Crayfish are born from eggs and go through several forms, which are chronologically the nauplius, protozoea, mysis, and postlarval crayfish that mature into an adult. Crayfish are omnivores and eat algae, worms, insects, and fish and amphibian eggs. Crayfish also eat dead things that are relatively fresh.

Habitat

Crayfish live in many water bodies including streams, lakes, rivers, ponds, and ditches, as long as water isn't very polluted. Crayfish usually dig burrows in the mud or hide underneath rocks or in vegetation.

Predators

Life Cycle

Crayfish are born from eggs and go through several forms, which are chronologically the nauplius, protozoea, mysis, and postlarval crayfish that mature into an adult. Crayfish are omnivores and eat algae, worms, insects, and fish and amphibian eggs. Crayfish also eat dead things that are relatively fresh.

Habitat

Crayfish live in many water bodies including streams, lakes, rivers, ponds, and ditches, as long as water isn't very polluted. Crayfish usually dig burrows in the mud or hide underneath rocks or in vegetation.

Predators

Revolutionary Evolutionary Relationships

Crayfish belong to the class Crustacea, and crickets belong to the class Hexapoda. These two classes have the most in common out of all the classes in Arthropods.

Helpful Human Impact

Arthropods is the biggest phylum in the domain Animalia. Because of this, it has a huge importance. Arthropods, especially the class Hexapoda, are the major pollinators. Arthropods are also food for other animals and keep smaller species' population under control.

Crickets are major decomposers, which keeps the outdoors clean. Crickets help with pollination, which is necessary for a major percentage of our food. Crickets also eat seedlings from invasive species, keeping those invasive species levels low. Crickets are also used as pets, and in some cases are used in cricket fights.

Crayfish keep water clean by scavenging dead material in streams, ponds, and other water bodies. Crayfish also keep algae amounts down and are food for many animals. Crayfish are also used as pets.

Feasibly Fun Facts

Scorpions can give live births after the eggs hatch inside the mother.

The Arthropod phylum is the biggest phylum in the domain Animalia.

There's an average of 30 insect parts per 100 grams of peanut butter.

Crickets have ears behind their legs.

Only female crickets have a long ovipositor on their end.

Chirping sounds are different so females can tell which crickets are their species.

There are more than 330 species of crayfish in southeastern United States alone.

Crickets that are taped to a fan blade right before a fight have almost a 100% chance of winning.

Insects are eaten in almost all cultures except most European, Islamic, and Hindi cultures, and many cultures also eat crustaceans like crab and lobster.

Cricket Fight Club

Docile Dissection

Dorsal Side of Crayfish

The exoskeleton is the shell that covers the crayfish's body, and it functions to protect the crayfish and maintain shape. The cephalothorax is right above the tail. The eyes are on the head, and they allow the crayfish to see underwater. The rostrum is the area between the eyes. The cheliped are a pair of legs with pincers that can be used to kill prey, carry things, dig, and defend the crayfish. The antennae feel around.

Ventral Side of Crayfish

The uropod are the two fins at the end of the tail, and they're held together with the telson. The swimmerettes are small legs that help the crayfish swim. The anus is for excretion. The walking legs enable the crayfish to walk. The mouth takes in food and water. The excretory system located near the mouth is called the green gland, which does the same thing as our kidneys- filter waste materials. The antennule are like short antennae and they sense smell and taste.

Cricket

The tarsus is the foot, the tibia is right above the tarsus, and the femur connects to the body, and they function to enable movement. The wings enable flight. The typanum senses sound. The thorax is the region right below the head. Food goes in the mouth. The eye senses light. The antennae are used for sensing smell.

Dorsal Side of Crayfish

The exoskeleton is the shell that covers the crayfish's body, and it functions to protect the crayfish and maintain shape. The cephalothorax is right above the tail. The eyes are on the head, and they allow the crayfish to see underwater. The rostrum is the area between the eyes. The cheliped are a pair of legs with pincers that can be used to kill prey, carry things, dig, and defend the crayfish. The antennae feel around.

Ventral Side of Crayfish

The uropod are the two fins at the end of the tail, and they're held together with the telson. The swimmerettes are small legs that help the crayfish swim. The anus is for excretion. The walking legs enable the crayfish to walk. The mouth takes in food and water. The excretory system located near the mouth is called the green gland, which does the same thing as our kidneys- filter waste materials. The antennule are like short antennae and they sense smell and taste.

Cricket

The tarsus is the foot, the tibia is right above the tarsus, and the femur connects to the body, and they function to enable movement. The wings enable flight. The typanum senses sound. The thorax is the region right below the head. Food goes in the mouth. The eye senses light. The antennae are used for sensing smell.

The Interesting Integumentary System

Arthropods have a tough exoskeleton as their skin. This has benefits and consequences. An exoskeleton is stronger than an endoskeleton, and is better at preventing water loss. However, as an arthropod grows, it will have to molt and get rid of the old exoskeleton. Exoskeletons are also less flexible.